Asia
-
Energy Security and Strategic Deterrence in Asia
The Transition from “Protected State” to “Nuclear Hedger” By mid-2026, America’s key Asian allies—specifically South Korea and Japan—have transitioned from a total reliance on U.S. extended deterrence to a posture…
-
Breaking barriers to women’s economic empowerment in South Asia
The Transition from Untapped Potential to Regional Growth As of March 2026, South Asia remains a region of stark economic contrasts: while it boasts rapid GDP growth, it also has…
-
4 lessons on trading impact from India’s Social Stock Exchange
India’s Social Stock Exchange (SSE) presents a state-initiated model that integrates social impact into mainstream capital markets by allowing non-profit organizations and social enterprises to raise funds on regulated stock…
-
The Beijing Dialogue: De-escalating the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border War
The Transition from Border Skirmishes to Trilateral Diplomacy On April 2, 2026, high-level delegations from Pakistan and Afghanistan met in Beijing for a Chinese-brokered summit intended to end three months…
-
The Great Indian Census of 2026: Data, Power, and Identity
The Transition to Digital Enumeration In April 2026, India officially commenced its first-ever digital census, a massive administrative undertaking involving over 3 million officials. Originally scheduled for 2021 but delayed…
-
World Bank Blogs – Eurasian Perspectives
Five Ways to Strengthen Trust in Digital Government: Lessons from Serbia Published on March 19, 2026, this World Bank blog post examines how Serbia built citizen trust in digital government…
-
How India is charting a new path into the electric age
India is undergoing a structural transformation by industrializing on cheap solar power and batteries instead of following the historical fossil-fuel-intensive path taken by countries such as Britain, the United States…
-
The Fall of K.P. Sharma Oli
The Shift from Impunity to Youth Political Agency In March 2026, Nepali authorities detained former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in connection with the deaths of protesters during “Gen Z-led”…
-
The Digital Silk Road: China’s Strategic Expansion of Global Connectivity
The Shift from Physical to Digital Hegemony In 2024, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) analyzed the “Digital Silk Road” (DSR) as a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road Initiative,…
-
Energy Chaos in Asia: The Ripple Effect of the Iran War
The Fracture of Indo-Pacific Energy Security In March 2026, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) reported that the paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz has plunged Asia’s largest economies into…
-
Takaichi takes on Trump
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is navigating a complex relationship with Donald Trump’s second administration. Although both leaders share nationalist tendencies, their interaction is shaped more by pressure than alignment.…
-
The Iran war should boost security cooperation by US Pacific allies like Japan, the Philippines and South Korea
The war with Iran is not just reshaping the Middle East, but also exposing the limits of the U.S.-led security order. For allies like Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines,…
-
Why Are the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan in an “Open War”?
Historical Roots of Tension Initially, relations were shaped by cooperation, as Pakistan supported the Afghan Taliban during decades of conflict to secure influence in Afghanistan. Emergence of a Key Militant…
-
The Iran War is Causing Energy Chaos in Asia
Global Energy Shock First, the war has disrupted global energy markets, pushing oil prices near $95 despite reserve releases aimed at stabilizing prices. Moreover, attacks on key oil and gas…
-
Sovereignty and Scale: Key Takeaways from the India AI Impact Summit
The recent India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi marked a major shift in the global tech landscape. In the past, these summits focused almost exclusively on AI safety and…
-
Sovereignty, safety, and scale: Takeaways from the India AI Impact Summit
Global Shift in the AI Agenda First, global discussions on artificial intelligence are moving beyond narrow safety concerns toward broader questions of deployment, economic development, and societal impact. Consequently, the…
-
China is running multiple AI races
Competing Visions of the AI Race First, debate about artificial intelligence often centers on the race toward artificial general intelligence. However, China is pursuing a broader strategy with several simultaneous…
-
The Second Trump Administration Turns a Blind Eye to Afghanistan
Historical Context of U.S. Involvement First, Afghanistan dominated U.S. foreign policy debates during the earlier presidency of Donald Trump. The administration negotiated a 2020 agreement with the Taliban to withdraw…
-
Indo-Pacific perspectives on the prospect of a US-China G2
The Indo-Pacific region is currently facing a period of deep uncertainty. A recent analysis from the Brookings Institution, featuring experts from Asia and Oceania, explores the possibility of a “G2”…
-
The Taliban in Afghanistan
Origins of the Taliban First, the Taliban emerged in the early 1990s after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. The movement combined former mujahideen fighters and religious students educated in Pakistani…
-
5 days in Indonesia: How people, not pipes, keep water flowing
Across Indonesia, access to safe and reliable water depends less on pipes and infrastructure and more on the resilience and adaptive capacity of the people who manage, distribute, and safeguard…
-
The hidden cost of water in Europe and Central Asia
Across Europe and Central Asia, water may appear readily available, but the full cost of providing safe, reliable water and sanitation services is often hidden from view. Aging infrastructure, underinvestment,…
-
The Canada-India Diplomatic Reset: Strategic Realignment Under Prime Minister Mark Carney
A New Chapter in Bilateral Relations In February 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney embarked on a high-stakes official visit to India, signaling a decisive end to a period of…
-
Kim reelegido líder del partido gobernante norcoreano
Kim Jong-un fue reelegido como secretario general del Partido del Trabajo de Corea durante el congreso quinquenal celebrado en Pyongyang, consolidando formalmente su posición como líder supremo de Corea del…
-
China Article IV Consultation 2025
IMF Assessment of Macroeconomic Stability and Reform Priorities The China Article IV Consultation released by the International Monetary Fund provides a comprehensive assessment of the country’s macroeconomic outlook at a…
-
Fiscal Reform: Strengthening the People’s Republic of China’s Revenue and Social Safety Nets
The Need for Modernized Public Finance The 2026 IMF report emphasizes that the People’s Republic of China’s fiscal system requires a fundamental overhaul to support its transition to a consumption-led…
-
How China Wins the Future
Beijing’s Strategy to Seize the New Frontiers of Power Elizabeth Economy | Foreign Affairs, January/February 2026 In How China Wins the Future, the author examines how Beijing is positioning itself…
-
China’s Long Economic War
How Beijing Builds Leverage for Indefinite Competition Zongyuan Zoe Liu | Foreign Affairs, January/February 2026 In China’s Long Economic War, the author argues that Beijing’s strategy toward global competition is…
-
The AI Divide
How U.S.-Chinese Competition Could Leave Most Countries Behind As artificial intelligence becomes central to global economic and strategic power, a divide is emerging that could leave many countries behind. Its…
-
U.S. – Taiwan Trade Agreement Leaves Major Questions Open
Overview of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement The United States and Taiwan finalized a reciprocal trade pact that cuts tariffs on Taiwan goods and expands market access for U.S. exports. Under…